SF nonprofit raising money for those who don’t qualify for stimulus check

Cristina Rendon reports.

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - A San Francisco nonprofit is raising money to help thousands of immigrant families that do not qualify for a federal stimulus check due to the coronavirus.

Mission Asset Fund, or MAF, has launched a Rapid Response Fund, according to CEO Jose Quinonez. The organization is raising money to help undocumented immigrants, college students across the state, and part-time workers that aren’t eligible for unemployment or a stimulus check.

“We’re talking about individuals that are still waking up and going to work,” Quinonez said. “They’re still ensuring our supply chain is intact. They’re the ones that are stocking our shelves and grocery stores. They’re the ones driving for Uber or Lyft. They’re the ones even participating in the healthcare system.”

Quinonez welcomes and applauds the federal government for passing a significant stimulus package, but said it does not include everyone.

“I’m concerned that this particular relief package left millions of people out without any relief,” he said. “In the Bay Area alone we estimate that there are like 580,000 undocumented families… again, these are people that are going to be feeling the brunt of this economic slowdown.”

The organization has heard numerous stories since the coronavirus outbreak. Some workers have had their hours cut. Other families don’t have access to the internet at home for distance learning.

In a little more than a week, MAF’s Rapid Response Fund has raised $4 million and counting, but Quinonez said that’s not nearly enough to help everyone. The organization is putting out a call for contributions at www.missionassetfund.org

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The money will provide direct grants of up to $500 and zero-interest loans to those who need it most.

“We know the pain people are suffering is real and they need immediate help now,” he added. “All of us are in it together and I think by coming together in solidarity we can actually get through this crisis as one Bay Area, as one California, as one nation.”

Mission Asset Fund plans to open the application process later this week and will make those announcements on their social media platforms. The San Francisco based non-profit works with low-income, immigrant families to help them develop and improve their financial lives.